Can we have an honest conversation about guilt? Everywhere I go, women are wrestling with feeling guilty all.the.time. And I understand. It’s something I struggle with, too.
If you are familiar with the heavy weight of guilt, pull up a chair and lean in. I’ve invited my friend Ginger Hubbard to share with us some powerful truths she’s learning to hold onto – truths that point her back to God’s grace again again again. Truths she writes about in her book, “Guiltless Living.”
For so long in my life, I struggled with trying to be a good Christian.
Inevitably, I would blow it on a daily basis then proceed to beat myself up spiritually and emotionally.
In setting my standards high for being what I perceived the perfect wife and mom, I chose the woman described in Proverbs 31 as my role model. On one particular morning, I remember reading about her and making unfavorable comparisons.
She got up before it was still dark. I had rolled out of bed around 8:30 am.
She was well dressed in fine linen and purple. I was in a baggy, terrycloth robe with my hair pulled up in an orange chip clip.
She held the distaff while grasping the spindle with her fingers (not sure what those things are, but I am certain they contributed to her noble character). I held the dust buster to the crumbs on my bed sheets while grasping the empty bag of Doritos.
She provided good food for her family and was always on top of things. I offered a choice of Burger King or McDonalds and felt the weight of my unaccomplished to-do list crashing down on me.
In comparison, I did not measure up. I felt anxious, defeated and disappointed in myself.
I wanted to be the wife who was always cheerful, never irritable, and only said words that edified, encouraged and built up. I wanted to be the mom who never lost it and only spoke with kindness, wisdom and faithful instruction. But, as hard as I tried, I always wound up blowing it in some way.
I just could not achieve the “good Christian” status I desired.
Through prayer and studying God’s Word, I began to realize that no matter how hard I tried, I would never achieve being the perfect Christian. I learned that the battle of victorious Christian living could not be won by sheer willpower or by teeth-gritting determination, but by tucking myself underneath the full armor of God and trusting that God is not only fighting for me, but He has already won the battle.
In measuring our self-worth in accordance with our own performances, we not only become anxious, but we miss out on experiencing the peace and rest of who we truly are in Christ.
Our worth is not based on what we do or do not do. It is not based on our successes and failures. It is not even based on whether we sin a little or sin a lot.
Our worth is based solely on Christ and the atoning work He has done on our behalf. We are His children, purchased at a price, forgiven and fully redeemed.
Embracing this wonderful truth brings about freedom. It is the freedom to forget about ourselves and lay down our measuring rods of self-worth and ongoing scrutiny. It is the freedom to release the suffocating anxiety our weaknesses cause, and instead take hold of God’s grace given to us through the cross.
Join me today in letting go of performance-based worth and self-imposed expectations. May we purpose to rest in the victory Christ has already won and truly experience the rich and satisfying joy of guiltless living!
ENTER TO WIN {book giveaway}
Because Ginger has struggled so much with the issue of performance-based self-worth, she has a deep compassion for other struggling women. Se can relate and understand the mental, spiritual and physical exhaustion that comes from this way of living. If you are one of these women, Ginger’s deep desire that you will lay down your measuring rod of self-worth and stop beating yourself up so you can take hold of God’s grace and embrace guiltless living! Today, Ginger is giving away 3 copies of her new book, Guiltless Living!
Click “Share Your Thoughts” below this post to leave a comment and ENTER TO WIN.
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Oh my goodness. I’m pretty sure this book was written for ME!! Would love to read this now!
Amen! Love this devotion as it is something I’ve always struggled with too, but the more I study His word and spend time with Him the more I’m learning to let go and let God. Two of my favorite verses when I’m feeling anxious or like I just don’t measure up are, “Be still and know that I am God”, and “I can do all things through Him that strengthens me.”
The truth of the Word that there is “No condemnation in Christ Jesus” is so powerful. This book sounds like it aligns with that Truth and I’d love to read it.
I have always struggled to measure up to my own self-imposed standards of what God desires and requires of me. I have to remember that all he wants is a willing vessel no matter how cracked and broken I think I am.
Wow, this really spoke to me this morning!!! I have struggled with this all my life. I would love to read this and pass it on to my 3 daughters instead of passing on the idea that they have to be perfect wives and mothers. I want them to know that their worth is based on the One who loves them, our Lord Jesus and not on anything they do!!!!
I am guilty. I know God in my heart, but find it hard to believe I am worthy of His forgiveness. What a beautiful gift Jesus has already given us! How freeing to be able to let it go & give it all to Him! I know He wants me too – and I want to. I pray for strength and forgiveness and peace of heart for each of us struggling with the vice of sin and guilt. God bless you and thank you for your ministry!
Guilt… I have lived with this all my life. I am starting now to understand more and work past those feelings with God.
Wow! What a huge encouragement to know others struggle with guilt too! How awesome that gods desire is for us to live guilt-free lives.
Amen….
Guilt finds a stronghold in your heart and until you can release it to the Lord – it will find a way into your daily walk with Jesus. When I find myself feeling a little depressed I usually find that I am hiding guilt that I think I can just push down and cover it up. Thanks for the words that made me stop and realize that today I need to pray about those feelings of guilt in my heart.
Such a great point Nancy. Guilt has a way of hiding doesnt it?
My scripture this week has been Exodus 14:14- The LORD will fight for you, you need only to be still… Lately I’ve been beating myself up allowing my self worth to be determined by the decisions my children make, the ways I handle emotional situations and the choices from my past. When I think of being able to live a guilt free life, I feel like I can breathe and rest. Such an idea of peace. Thankful that God does fight for us especially those spiritual battles we face every day.
I have struggled with so many of those feelings! In our first year of marriage I felt a failure as a “Good Christian wife” because I wasn’t cooking elaborate meals every night. Truth is my husband told me not to because he wanted us to keep our eating simple. So I felt a failure when in fact all I needed to do was being obedient to my husband’s leadership!!
Thank you for this: “Our worth is based solely on Christ and the atoning work He has done on our behalf. We are His children, purchased at a price, forgiven and fully redeemed.”
I’m struggling with this issue
I struggling with the same issues. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing! I struggle daily with feelings of guilt, and battling daily to walk in Christ-given identity and not man’s.
Thank you for this devotion today. .. it hit the spot! God bless you!
I have been struggling with self worth since I lost my job. Thanks for the inspiring words.
Thank-you for writing this book……may it help all our comparative thoughts bow to Christ!
This is a book I need! I’ve been wrestling with the fact that I live in a sea of guilt but know God calls me to live in freedom.
Oh my gosh – I saw so much of myself in your writing, except for the chip clip but that sure made me smile. I am working through a lot of this and trying to not only grasp and work through it but share this with my daughter and other mothers in our church. The enemy loves having us in that “I can never live up mode” coz it makes him feel he is winning the battle but our God is so much bigger and won the battle long ago for all of us. We all just need to be reminded now and again with writings such as yours and others of the love our God has for us and be reminded that we need to only look at Him to know that He uses the broken and the imperfect to reach others for His kingdom. Thank you for your reminder this morning!